SMALLVILLE: Season 8

[The Mike]

Since the Season 7 thread is all done and moving on to this season figured might as well start a new one detailing the upcoming one.

Here is the latest from Comic-Con:

SDCC '08 - Geoff Johns Brings the Legion to 'Smallville'
By Vaneta Rogers
posted: 27 July 2008 12:57 pm ET

The Legion of Super-Heroes is coming to Smallville, and the writer who's guiding the futuristic team in comic books will be the one introducing them to the show.

Geoff Johns, writer of next month's Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds mini-series for DC Comics, will also be writing the Legion's introduction to the Smallville television show. As announced Sunday at San Diego Comic-Con, Johns will be writing "Legion," the ninth episode in this year's season 8 of Smallville.

"I've known the Smallville writing team – Todd [Slavkin], Darren [Swimmer], Brian [Wayne Peterson] and Kelly [Souders] – for a long time," Johns told Newsarama. "I had an idea for an episode, so we all had lunch. And I pitched them the idea of bringing the Legion of Super-Heroes to Smallville. And we're off and running."

In comics, the Legion of Super-Heroes is a group of super-powered teenagers from 1,000 years in the future who are inspired by the legend of Superman. The Legion story, which saw the young heroes time-traveling back to visit a young Clark Kent, recently inspired a Warner Bros. animated TV series.

Smallville fans had already seen updated versions of several DC Comics heroes on the live-action show, including Green Arrow, who's become a regular character. Just last month, it was announced that a new "Doomsday" character, played by Battlestar Galactica alum Sam Witwer, will be added to the Smallville cast this season as a nemesis for actor Tom Welling's Clark Kent.

While the show's very human-looking Doomsday is apparently a re-interpretation of the monstrous comics character who once killed Superman, according to Johns, the Legion that appears in his Smallville episode will be the team that comic book readers recognize.

"I can't get into any specifics about the story we're telling because we’re still working on it all. But they're from the 31st Century. And it will be focusing on some obvious characters who first met Clark," Johns said. "It will be written to fit with Smallville, and I think it's going to be a really fun challenge to approach the Legion in a different way. But with me, you know you're going to see Legion rings, and they're going to be as true to the core as possible. It's going to be the Legion of Super-Heroes."

Johns, who just recently used Legion characters in a story he wrote for the Superman-centered series Action Comics with artist Gary Frank, couldn't confirm if the Legion characters he's introducing in Smallville would appear in more than one episode.

As Smallville fans may remember, this won't be the first time the name "Geoff Johns" is attached to the show. In Season 4, a super-powered, villainous football-playing character was named Geoff Johns. And as most comic book fans know, Johns shares offices with former Smallville writer and comic book creator Jeph Loeb, who was involved with the series during Seasons 2-4.

"Like I said, I've known the Smallville team for a long time. And I have to thank Jeph Loeb for introducing me to those people in the first place," Johns said. "I'm really looking forward to working on the show. It's exciting to see the Legion be part of that."

 

[Kabukiman]

Human looking Doomsday?

Looking forward to the Legion though! It will be interesting to see how Clark reacts to Brainiac 5.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I was so pissed - I got up early on Sunday and got down to the convention center at 9 AM for the 10:00 AM panel. It was in the 3rd largest room (the biggest isn't even used on Sunday) and at 9 AM they wouldn't even let you get in line to get into the room it was so crowded.

Five years and I've never gotten into a Smallville panel (one year they didn't come).

 

[tomandshell]

I couldn't get into Heroes this year, only got there two hours early and that wasn't enough.

 

[NASEDO]

Smallville is the best thing that happened to Superman. Great show, Welling is the only Superman of my Generation, so any movie without him, like Superman Returns (Garbage), is not Superman. Would love to Superman done over like they did with Batman.

 

[The Mike]

I'm willing to see what Welling would actually look like as Superman but he refuses. I don't mind seeing Routh in that position though on the big screen.

 

[captain sack]

Smallville is the best thing that happened to Superman. Great show, Welling is the only Superman of my Generation, so any movie without him, like Superman Returns (Garbage), is not Superman. Would love to Superman done over like they did with Batman.

welling is the superboy from earth prime.

smallville=alternate earth.

 

[nash]

I'm willing to see what Welling would actually look like as Superman but he refuses. I don't mind seeing Routh in that position though on the big screen.

Mike, any solid info on why Welling refuses to don the suit? I thought it was more of the producers and stipulations in his contract that didnt allow him?

I'd also like to see him step into the suit and kick some ^^^^ing ass.

Having said that, I cant wait for next season already. this is the only show that I ever watch on TV next to espn.

 

[The Mike]

He has said repeatedly that he doesn't want it. I'm looking for the interview but a direct quote went something like "I have no desire to play Superman and go that route with the character, I'm committed to playing Clark" or something along those lines. That could change of course as actors are known for being a little flip floppy especially when other roles aren't there but on top of the DC/WB not wanting to make the leap with any Smallville cast member he has said he didn't want it.

There is a "No Flights, No Tights" contract for the producers but that was lifted for the "Couple of Flights, No Tights" for the Kal-El storyline. The rumor is that everyone's favorite blowhard Mark Millar wants Welling to be his Superman if he gets his reboot but we'll see about that.

 

[The Mike]

August 20, 2008: Charlotte Sullivan Cast as Maxima for “Smallville”
TVGuide.com has revealed that Charlotte Sullivan (who recently starred in the Canadian series MVP) has been cast in the role of Maxima for the 8th season of "Smallville" and will appear in the fourth episode of the new season.

The arrival of Maxima gives Smallville two new toughies to deal with, coupled with Sam Witwer's imminent introduction as Davis Bloom aka Doomsday.
Who/what/from where is Maxima? According to Wiki/Superman canon, she's the oldest child of the royal family of the planet Almerac. Her purpose on Earth is to find a suitable mate - which more than explains why she finds herself in a liplock with not one, but two Smallville gents not long after her arrival!


Read the complete article at the TV Guide website.
Meanwhile, the current issue of TV Guide magazine (in subscriber's hands now) has a sneak peek at Season 8 of "Smallville" titled "Justice League to the Rescue"...


Smallville is back for its eighth season on September 18 with a superpowered opener. With Clark (Tom Welling) still missing after his showdown with Lex in May's season finale, it's up to the Justice League to save the day. Aquaman (Alan Ritchson), Black Canary (Alania Huffman) and Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) track down the Man of Steel at a shady Russian work camp, where Clark is powerless. "The Justice League will never be the same, and Clark Kent will never be the same," says Exec Producer Todd Slavkin. "The preimere pushes us into areas we've never explored before, mainly Clark's destiny."

 

[Eli26]

Wow, they sure do cast a lot of Canadian women.

So that's 4 women I know of on Smallville that have leading/supporting roles on the show. Makes sense... Shot in Vancouver, and our women are talented and gorgeous.

 

[Darth Loki]

Wow, they sure do cast a lot of Canadian women.

So that's 4 women I know of on Smallville that have leading/supporting roles on the show. Makes sense... Shot in Vancouver, and our women are talented and gorgeous.

And yet you still like men. Go figure.

 

[The Mike]

 

[Darth Caedus]

I just saw John Schneider (Papa Kent) at the movies [weird, seen him twice, both in movies anyway...] talked to him for a little bit, and he said that he might return for a few episodes this coming up season.


Kinda off subject, but he was driving a new Dodge Charger with the paint job of the General Lee, it was awesome. But he didn't jump through the window

 

[McHavyck]

i'm just glad they wised up and made Green Arrow (one of my favorite DC characters) a regular.

just not sure i buy the geek (Sam Witwer) from Battlestar Gallactica, Dexter and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed as Doomsday.

 

[Darth Caedus]

i'm just glad they wised up and made Green Arrow (one of my favorite DC characters) a regular.

just not sure i buy the geek (Sam Witwer) from Battlestar Gallactica, Dexter and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed as Doomsday.

He looks somewhat menacing, but NOWHERE near what Doomsday should be

Granted, don't think they could put this guy on Smallville

 

[McHavyck]

He looks somewhat menacing, but NOWHERE near what Doomsday should be

Granted, don't think they could put this guy on Smallville

exactly!!!

 

[Aerosmith]

Smallville is the best thing that happened to Superman. Great show, Welling is the only Superman of my Generation, so any movie without him, like Superman Returns (Garbage), is not Superman. Would love to Superman done over like they did with Batman.

Dean Cain is the Superman of my generation. Was kind of ^^^^ed up to see him as a villian on Smallville.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I thought it was great that Cain was on Smallville - I hope they bring him back and establish him as the Vandal Savage he's supposed to be. I love the tribute casting they've been doing. I think Helen Slater as Lara was the best.

Just as Zod and Brainiac appeared as normal dudes, they can't have a completely CG Doomsday. But I'm betting he starts sprouting stuff as the season progresses and morphs between human and CG, like Bizzaro did.

 

[Darth Caedus]

I thought it was great that Cain was on Smallville - I hope they bring him back and establish him as the Vandal Savage he's supposed to be. I love the tribute casting they've been doing. I think Helen Slater as Lara was the best.

Just as Zod and Brainiac appeared as normal dudes, they can't have a completely CG Doomsday. But I'm betting he starts sprouting stuff as the season progresses and morphs between human and CG, like Bizzaro did.

Amen to Helen Slater; she's still a fox. I can agree that having Bizzaro being a mixture of human and CG would be interesting. I just don't see how Witwer can stand up to Welling. Welling being 6'3" and Witwer being 6'1"